Transparency holder

ABSTRACT

A photographic slide tray holder including a plurality of compartments. The holder forms a page which with other such pages is mounted in a book. More than one slide may be held in each tray compartment, and the transparency of a fitted cover permits easy viewing of the contents held therein. The cover is separate from the tray and may be removed therefrom. A rib or edge male member attached to the cover portion is snap-fitted into a trough or female member of the tray portion to form a hinge means therewith.

Unite States Patent Nast 1 Qct. 10, 1972 [54] TRANSPARENCY HOLDER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Robert Nast, 942 Glenridge Ave., 1,313,246 11/1962 France ..220/31 S North Woodmere, Long Island, 1,256,845 2/1961 France ..281/ 17 N.Y. 14223 436,768 11/1967 Switzerland ..40/ 106.1

[22] Filed: June 1970 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [2]] Appl. No.: 48,319 Assistant ExaminerJ. H. Wolff Attomey-Edward F. Levy [52] US. Cl ..40/l04.18, 40/ 106.1 [51] Int. Cl ..G09f 13/10 [57] ABSIMCT [58] Field 61 Search ..40/l58 B, 63, 156, 106.1; A photographic slide y holder including a plurality 220 31 5 of compartments. The holder forms a page which with other such pages is mounted in a book. More than one [56] References Cited slide may be held in each tray compartment, and the transparency of a fitted cover pemiits easy viewing of UNITED STATES PATENTS the contents held therein. The cover is separate from the tray and may be removed therefrom. A rib or edge g g g i male member attached to the cover portion is snap- I f er mm fitted into a trough or female member of the tray por- 2,797,840 7/1957 Gibbs ..220/31 s tion to form a hinge means therewith 3,524,564 8/1970 Schurman ..220/3l S X 3,425,587 2/1969 Duross, Jr ..220/31 S 9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures minnow 101912 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT NAST BY I ATTORNEY PATENTEDum 10 Ian 3.696538 sum 2 0F 2 INVENTOR. ROB E RT N AST Y aimafi ATTORNEY TRANSPARENCY HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a slide holder, and more particularly, to a compact tray and interlocking transparent cover for holding a plurality of slides in a book-like manner.

Photographic slides are finding increasing use both in homes and industry. Such slides, generally, are less expensive than color prints and simultaneously can be seen by a large number of people when used with a suitable slide projector. Conventionally, photographic slide holders are used to store such slides. These holders, generally, suffer from several disadvantages. For instance, such holders frequently are not compact thus increasing the storage area required. In addition, such slides tend to be delicate and, frequently, with prior art holders, the faces of the slides become damaged. Further, the contents of the slide cannot be viewed until it is physically removed from the holder, which frequently wastes time. Prior art slide containers are generally unattractive and, therefore, are stored in closets, or the like, which adds to the inconvenience in showing the slides.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photographic slide tray holder or container which compactly stores such slides.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a container which is relatively attractive.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a container which permits the contents of the slide to be viewed prior to being removed therefrom.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a holder which does not tend to damage the faces of the slide either while being stored or removed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a photographic slide tray container which stores the slides relatively compactly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of such containers which may form pages of a relatively attractive book.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a container which permits convenient removal of the slides held therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a durable photographic slide tray container which is inexpensive.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above objects are accomplished by providing a photographic slide holder comprising a tray member and a transparent cover member adapted to be snap-fitted into a side peripheral or marginal area of the tray member and forming a hinge means therewith. A rib element is embedded in one side of the cover member and is adapted to be snap-fitted into a continuous trough portion formed by a flange section on the left peripheral margin of the tray member and a plurality of oppositely disposed spaced apart teeth members or projections. A hinge means is formed by the interlocking rib and trough members which permits the cover member to be opened and closed on one end while being attached to the tray member. The rib member is pressed between the left flange and opposing teeth and is held in place by the resiliency of the trough or cradle in the manner of a spring clip.

The tray, generally, is flat and is divided into a plurality of compartments separated by upstanding dividing rib members. The tray is provided with a central container portion recessed to a first depth and a recessed intermediate framing portion of a second depth, the second depth being less than the first with the intermediate framing portion framing the central recessed portion. The depth of the intermediate framing recessed portion is approximately equal to the thickness of the transparent cover enabling it to fit flush against the recessed frame member and in the same plane as an outer framing portion of the tray when the cover is closed, thereby forming a flat front surface.

The tray portion, preferably, is made of a light colored plastic material enabling the contents of the slides which fit flat in their respective compartments to be viewed without being removed from the tray. Where desired, the depth of the container recessed portion may be sufficient to accommodate more than one slide, increasing the storage efficiency but eliminating the ability to view the contents of the slide while in the slide holder.

The cover member is provided with a plurality of spaced apart slots on the left marginal side which cooperate with the projecting teeth of the tray member which are slightly outwardly angled and serve as a guide means. A gripping means is provided extending beyond the peripheral surface of the right side of the cover member permitting the cover to be conveniently grabbed and manipulated. A plurality of slots are provided in the right peripheral or marginal segment of the cover member which cooperate with corresponding projecting teeth integral with the tray member and interlock therewith forming a latch or locking assembly maintaining the cover member in place.

Other features, details, and benefits of the present invention will be made more'apparent from the following figures and detailed description.

FIGURES FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the tray member of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cover member of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the combined cover and tray member assembly with slide being held in respective compartments.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the left side portion of the combined cover and tray members shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 6 and generally illustrates the cover in a closed position with respect to the tray member.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8 showing the cover member being in an opened position.

FIG. is an enlarged fragmentary view of the left side portion of the tray member with the cover removed therefrom, as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The slide tray holder of the present invention generally comprises a tray 10 for receiving a plurality of photographic slides, and a cover member 11 hinged to said tray 10, but separable therefrom. The tray 10 is preferably molded as an integral unit from plastic or other suitable light-weight inexpensive material, and the cover 11 is transparent and also preferably made of plastic.

The tray 10 has a central rectangular recessed portion 12 of shallow depth sized to accommodate a substantial number of slides in flat position therein. The central recessed portion 12 is defined by a flat bottom wall 14 bordered by opposed upstanding side walls 16 and 18, and by opposed end walls 20 and 22. A plurality of upstanding divider members 24, in the nature of ribs having the form of crosses, are formed integrally with the bottom wall 14. These divider members 24 cooperate with each other and with spaced divider ribs 26, extending perpendicularly inward from the side wall 16, 18 and end walls 20, 22 to define longitudinal columns and vertical rows of individual compartments for the photographic transparencies. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the tray 10 is formed with four columns and five transverse rows of compartments, so that twenty transparencies may be stored therein. The transparencies 28 are shown in FIG. 6 and are of the conventional type in which a film negative or color film transparency 30 is mounted within a square border 32, usually of cardboard. Each of the compartments is made slightly larger than the transparency border 32 to permit easy insertion and removal of the latter. Because the ends of the divider members 24 and divider ribs 26 are spaced from each other, the user can insert his fingers therebetween to engage the edge of the contained transparency 28 and lift the latter out of the compartment.

The side walls 16 and 18, and end wall 22 are formed with respective outwardly extending flanges 34, 36 and 38 which are continuous with each other and serve as an intermediate framing portion for the central recessed area 12. These flanges also provide an elevated shoulder which serves as a seat for the cover member 11 when the latter is in its closed position, as will be presently described. Extending outwardly from the flanges 34 and 36 are respective upwardly stepped flanges 40 and 42, while a similar upwardly stepped flange 44, of narrower width, extends outwardly from end flange 38. The flange 44 is interrupted or cut away at its center to provide an elongated recess 46. The flanges 40, 42 and 44 serve as an outer framing portion which is sized to receive the closed cover member 1 1.

The end wall 20 is bordered by a flange 48 which is continuous with the flanges 40 and 42 and is at the same level as the latter. The flange 48 is appreciably wider than any of the flanges 40, 42 or 44, and is formed with a longitudinal row of apertures 50 therein. It will be observed that when the tray 10 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the flange 48 is at the left-hand side of the tray, so that the apertures 50 may be inserted on rings in a loose leaf book, and the tray will serve as a page thereof. In this manner, a number of trays can be removable bound in book form, and the trays may be turned in the manner of pages of a book to locate particular transparencies.

The wall 20 is interrupted at regular intervals along its length by a plurality of spaced slots 52, within each of which is centrally located an upstanding rectangular tab 54. The tabs 54, as shown in FIG. 1, alternate with the interrupted sections of wall 20.

Formed integrally with the wall 20 is an elongated web 56 which is connected to and supports the flange 48. As best shown inFIG. 2, the web 56 is provided with an arcuate groove 58 extending the entire length of said web. The groove 58 provides a seat for the hinged mounting of the cover member 11 on tray 10, as will be presently described.

The side wall 22 and its flange 38 are formed with a row of spaced elongated slots 60 within each of which is located an upstanding cover-locking tab 62. The tabs 62 are formed integrally with the bottom wall 14.

The cover member 11 is preferably made of a clear transparent sheet of rigid plastic'material, permitting the contained slides to be easily viewed and firmly held in place. As shown in FIG. 4, a first row of spaced apart and aligned elongated, rectangular apertures 64 are provided along the left side edge 66 of the cover member 1 1. A second row of spaced apart and aligned rectangular apertures 68 are located along the opposite side edge 70 of the cover member 1 l. The row of apertures 68 is widely spaced at its center, as shown in FIG. 4, and in this wide central spacing there is formed a tab section 72 which projects from the center of side edge 70 to form a handle or tab means. An elongated, cylindrical rib member 78 is embedded into the left side edge 66 of the cover member 11 extending substantially the entire length thereof. The rib member 74 may be integrally formed with the cover member 1 1 or may be adhesively secured thereto.

The rib member 74 cooperates with the groove 58 for releasable pivotable mounting of the cover member 1 l on the tray 10. To mount the cover member 11, it is merely placed upon the upper surface of tray 10 with the'rib 74 in registry with groove 58, and the cover edge 66 is pressed downwardly with the fingers. The rib 74 thus moves downwardly between the inner edge 48a of flange 48 and the upstanding tabs 54. The edge 48a and tabs 54 are laterally spaced by a distance slightly smaller than the diameter of the rib member 74 so that said rib member makes a snap-fit within groove 58. In its mounted position, the rib member 74 is held in place within the groove 58 by the resiliency of the tabs 54 which are slightly inclined to overlie the rib 74 but to allow the latter to rotate freely within groove 58 for pivital movement of the cover member 11 on tray 10, as indicated in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this manner, a hinge means is formed at the left-hand sides of the tray and cover members, permitting the latter to be conveniently opened and closed.

In the closed position of the cover member 11, the latter rests upon the flanges 34, 36 and 38 which are so dimensioned that in such closed position, the upper surface of cover member 1 l is in alignment with the top surfaces of the upwardly stepped flanges 40, 42 and 44, as shown in FIG. 8, so that the assembled unit presents a flush upper surface. The intermediate portions of the cover member 11 rests upon the divider members 24,

so that the cover member 11 is restrained from buckling.

When the cover member 11 is brought to its closed position, the upstanding tabs 54 of tray register with the row of cover apertures 64, while the upstanding tabs 62 register with the cover apertures 68. These tabs 54 and 62 project upwardly beyond the top surface of flanges 36, 38, 40 and 48, so that when the cover member 11 is pressed down firmly into its closed position, the tabs snap into the respective cover apertures 64 and 68 and frictionally lock the cover member in its closed position. To permit this snap-locking action, the tabs 54 and 62 are slightly inclined toward the respective adjacent side edges of tray 10. Thus, when the cover member 11 is closed and locked, the transparencies 28 in each of the tray compartments are retained in their stored positions, even when the tray and closed cover member are turned as a page of a loose-leaf book, as previously described.

In the closed position of the cover member 11, the tab section 72 overlies the elongated central recess 46 in the flange 44 of tray 10. Thus, to open the cover member for removal or replacement of transparencies, the user merely inserts his finger beneath the exposed tab section 72 and presses upwardly to raise the cover, the tabs 54 and 62 yielding sufficiently under this pressure to release their grip upon the respective cover apertures 64 and 68.

The tray member 10 may be made of alight opaque plastic material, or may be made translucent, so that the transparencies within the tray member may be readily viewed for identification through the closed transparent cover member 1 1.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A photographic slide tray holder for storing photographic slides comprising a generally flat tray member and a cooperating cover member, said tray member being provided with central recessed portion of a first depth, a plurality of divider members in said tray member, said plurality of divider members dividing said central recessed portion into a plurality of compartments, each of said plurality of compartments being of said first depth and having a configuration suitable for receiving photographic transparencies, said cover member comprising a flat rigid sheet sized to overlie the entire central recessed portion of said tray member for retaining in said compartments the transparencies placed in the latter, said cover member and tray member having integral hinge means releasably engageable for mounting said cover on said tray member for movement between an open position and a closed position in which said cover overlies said central recessed portion, said hinge means including a trough member in said tray member extending along a first side central recessed portion, and having an open top end, a plurality of upstanding, inclined tabs spaced along said trough member and partially overlying the top open end thereof, a rib member extending along a first side edge of said cover member and sized to be pivotally received in said trough member beneath said abs, and a first plurality of apertures in said cover member spaced along said first side edge thereof and positioned to register with the upstanding tabs of said tray member and to interlock therewith when said cover is in said closed position.

2. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tray member is provided with a stepped peripheral flange defining an outer framing portion surrounding said central recessed portion and in intermediate framing portion between said outer framing portion and said central recessed portion, said intermediate framing portion being recessed to a second depth, said second depth being less than said first depth, whereby when said cover member is closed, the cover member rests upon said intermediate framing portion and the upper surface of said cover member lies substantially flush with said outer framing portion.

3. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said outer framing portion is formed with recess along a marginal portion of said tray member, said cover member being provided with tab means aligned with said recess along said marginal portion, said tab means overlapping said marginal recess, whereby a handle means is formed for gripping when opening and closing said cover member.

4. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 3, wherein said tab means is located approximately at the central portion of the side of said cover member opposite said hinge means.

5. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said divider members comprise upstanding rib members in the form of spaced crosses arranged to divide said central recessed portion into rows and columns of contiguous compartments, each sized to receive a photographic transparency loosely therein.

6. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tray member is provided with a plurality of apertures along the left marginal portion, whereby said holder is capable of being held in a ring binder in a loose-leaf fashion.

7. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cover member is made of transparent material.

8. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 7, wherein said tray member is made of translucent material.

9. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cover member is provided with a second plurality of apertures along a second side thereof, said tray member being provided with a second plurality of up wardly extending tabs along a second side margin which align with said second plurality of apertures, said second tabs being adapted to fit into said second plurality of apertures whereby an interlocking communication is achieved securely holding said cover member in a closed position. 

1. A photographic slide tray holder for storing photographic slides comprising a generally flat tray member and a cooperating cover member, said tray member being provided with central recessed portion of a first depth, a plurality of divider members in said tray member, said plurality of divider members dividing said central recessed portion into a plurality of compartments, each of said plurality of compartments being of said first depth and having a configuration suitable for receiving photographic transparencies, said cover member comprising a flat rigid sheet sized to overlie the entire central recessed portion of said tray member for retaining in said compartments the transparencies placed in the latter, said cover member and tray member having integral hinge means releasably engageable for mounting said cover on said tray member for movement between an open position and a closed position in which said cover overlies said central recessed portion, said hinge means including a trough member in said tray member extending along a first side central recessed portion, and having an open top end, a plurality of upstanding, inclined tabs spaced along said trough member and partially overlying the top open end thereof, a rib member extending along a first side edge of said cover member and sized to be pivotally received in said trough member beneath said tabs, and a first plurality of apertures in said cover member spaced along said first side edge thereof and positioned to register with the upstanding tabs of said tray member and to interlock therewith when said cover is in said closed position.
 2. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tray member is provided with a stepped peripheral flange defining an outer framing portion surrounding said central recessed portion and in intermediate framing portion between said outer framing portion and said central recessed portion, said intermediate framing portion being recessed to a second depth, said second depth being less than said first depth, whereby when said cover member is closed, the cover member rests upon said intermediate framing portion and the upper surface of said cover member lies substantially flush with said outer framing portion.
 3. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said outer framing portion is formed with recess along a marginal portion of said tray member, said cover member being provided with tab means aligned with said recess along said marginal portion, said tab means overlapping said marginal recess, whereby a handle means is formed for gripping when opening and closing said cover member.
 4. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 3, wherein said tab means is located approximately at the central portion of the side of said cover member opposite said hinge means.
 5. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said divider members comprise upstanding rib members in the form of spaced crosses arranged to divide said central recessed portion into rows and columns of contiguous compartments, each sized to receive a photographic transparency loosely therein.
 6. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tray member is provided with a plurality of apertures along the left marginal portion, whereby said holder is capable of being held in a ring binder in a loose-leaf fashion.
 7. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cover member is made of transparent material.
 8. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 7, wherein said tray member is made of translucent material.
 9. A slide tray holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cover member is provided with a second plurality of apertures along a second side thereof, said tray member being provided with a second plurality of upwardly extending tabs along a second side margin which align with said second plurality of apertures, said second tabs being adapted to fit into said second plurality of apeRtures whereby an interlocking communication is achieved securely holding said cover member in a closed position. 